SteamRanger Heritage Railway facts for kids
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Rx 224 leaving Port Elliot
in January 2022 |
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| Established | 1986 |
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| Location | Mount Barker South Australia |
| Type | Heritage Railway |
The SteamRanger Heritage Railway is an 82 kilometres (51 miles) long 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge tourist railway, formerly the Victor Harbor railway line of the South Australian Railways (SAR). It is operated by the not-for-profit South Australian Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society. As the last operating non-suburban line of the former broad-gauge network, on which Australia's first public railway was opened, the line and its associated rail assets have high historical significance.
History
In the 1970s, the South Australian Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society established SteamRanger as a not-for-profit railway preservation offshoot to operate its train tours from Adelaide, mainly on rural lines throughout the state's broad-gauge networks. SteamRanger opened their first purpose-built depot at Dry Creek railway station, 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) north of Adelaide in 1980. From the mid-1980s, SteamRanger gradually took over the operation and maintenance of the Victor Harbor railway line in the Adelaide Hills.
When plans were announced for the Adelaide to Melbourne line to be converted to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge, SteamRanger had to choose between staying at Dry Creek and losing its investment in the Victor Harbor line, or move and become isolated from Adelaide's suburban railway lines.Since the first choice would break the society's financial viability, in a huge project all of SteamRanger's locomotives and rolling stock were moved. A new depot was built at Mount Barker railway station, at the northern end of the broad-gauge line to Victor Harbor. As part of the move, the District Council of Mount Barker renovated the station building, derelict at the time, to become SteamRanger's headquarters. Conversion of the interstate line was completed in 1995 as part of the One Nation infrastructure upgrade program. Following closure of South Australia's remaining broad-gauge tracks, the line has become the last operating memory of locomotive-hauled trains on the broad gauge.
Services
As of January 2023[update], scheduled SteamRanger trips were as follows.
| Name | Between (round trips) | Distance and time (round trips) | Days | Steam or diesel? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cockle Train – off peak |
Goolwa and Victor Harbor | 21 km (13 mi). About 1 hour, 30 minutes. |
Most Wednesdays and weekends | Heritage diesel locomotives or railcars* | Buy tickets on day of travel at SteamRanger stations (does not have reserved seats) |
| Cockle Train – during school holidays |
As above | As above | Every day during school holidays | Normally steam locomotives; diesel when a total fire ban for the Mount Lofty Ranges is in force* | As above |
| Southern Encounter | Mount Barker to Victor Harbor | 164 km (102 mi). About 8 hours 45 minutes including 2 hours 40 minutes lunch and several 10-minute stops. |
First, third and fifth Sundays May to November | Steam locomotives | Bookings essential** |
| Hills Encounter | Victor Harbor to Mount Barker | 164 km (102 mi). About 8 hours including 2 hours 20 minutes lunch. |
As on website | Normally steam locomotives; diesel when a total fire ban for the Mount Lofty Ranges is in force* | Passengers can optionally leave train at Strathalbyn for lunch and shopping then join return trip. Bookings essential. |
| StrathLink | Victor Harbor (or board at Goolwa) to Strathalbyn | 100 km (62 mi). About 5 hours 20 minutes including 2 hours lunch. |
Several days during the school holidays | On the Cockle Train Victor Harbor to Goolwa, then via heritage railcar to Strathalbyn | Booking advisable since some trains fill quickly |
| Bugle Ranger | Mount Barker to Philcox Hill and Bugle Ranges station | 18 km (11 mi). About 45 minutes. |
Fourth Sunday June to November | Red Hen railcar | Buy tickets on day of travel at SteamRanger's Mount Barker station |
| * When the forecast for Victor Harbor is 35 degrees Celsius or above, the Cockle Train does not operate. ** First-class tickets include compartment in an art deco carriage with morning tea, lunch and a paddle steamer voyage. |
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Fleet
SteamRanger's fleet as of December 2023[update] was as follows.
| Item | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Steam locomotives | ||
| Rx class no. 207, Dean Harvey | 1913 | Operational, Goolwa |
| Rx class no. 224 | 1915 | Operational, Goolwa |
| F class no. 251 | 1922 | Stored awaiting overhaul, Mt Barker |
| 620 class no. 621, Duke of Edinburgh | 1936 | Undergoing maintenance, Mt Barker |
| 520 class no. 520, Sir Malcolm Barclay-Harvey | 1943 | Under restoration, Mt Barker |
| Diesel-electric locomotives | ||
| 350 class no. 350 | 1949 | Operational, Mt Barker (limited shunting use only) |
| 500 class no. 507 | 1965 | Operational, Goolwa |
| 700 class no. 704 | 1972 | Stored awaiting overhaul, Mt Barker |
| 830 class no. 844 | 1962 | Operational, Goolwa |
| 830 class no. 845 | 1963 | Under restoration, Mt Barker |
| 930 class no. 958 | 1965 | Operational, Mt Barker |
| 930 class no. 963 | 1967 | Stored, Mt Barker |
| Diesel railcars | ||
| 300 and 400 class Red Hen railcars nos 334, 412 and 820 class trailer car 824 | 1958, 1960, 1912 | Operational, Goolwa |
| 400 class "Red Hen" railcar no. 428 | 1968 | Accident damaged, undergoing repair, Mt Barker |
| 400 class "Red Hen" railcar no. 424 and 860 class trailer car no. 875 | 1968, 1945 | Operational, Goolwa |
| 300 and 400 class "Red Hen" railcars nos 364 and 405 | 1968, 1959 | Stored, Mt Barker |
| Brill Model 75 railcar no. 43 | 1928 | Under restoration, Goolwa |
| Brill Model 75 railcar no. 60 | 1928 | Stored, Goolwa |
| 2000 class "Jumbo" railcars nos 2010 and 2109 | 1980 | Stored, Goolwa |
| Passenger cars | ||
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See also
- Rail transport in South Australia
- Railways in Adelaide
- Victor Harbor railway line
